SOS diaspora: How Lebanese abroad help their country survive crisis
Issued on: Modified:
As their country sinks deeper into a financial crisis, more Lebanese people depend on money sent by relatives living abroad to survive. Remittances sent by the Lebanese diaspora, one of the largest in the world, partly explain why Lebanon has not yet descended into social chaos or full-scale revolt, despite the country suffering from what the World Bank calls one of the worst financial crises since the mid-19th century. FRANCE 24's Chloé Domat and Sophie Guignon report.
Built up over more than a century, the Lebanese diaspora is made up of approximately 14 million people over all five continents, compared to only 4 million within Lebanon. These expatriates have always sent money back to their families to make ends meet. Since the crisis, these remittances have become the only source of income for many Lebanese households.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning
Subscribe